Paint Stripper Advice

[Shane Kelley]

I would be surprised if you haven't already warped the hood. Blasting sheet metal is a big no no. I learned the hard way years ago. Did a 70 Charger hood underside. I only focused on the bracing and it still warped all the metal just from the overspray hitting the bottom side of the outer panel. You could feel where every brace was on the topside after I was finished.

Aircraft stripper works pretty good. Still a lot of labor though. Use soap and water to neutralize the stripper. I usually go back over it with some Comet and a red scuff pad also.

Alan's method is without a doubt the best! Money well spent. Problem for me and most is finding a local place that does it. EPA with it's regulations and red tape has really closed most of them down.

[fireguyfire]

So a question about dipping; can anyone give a rough idea of costs (Anlan) and also, is residue from the dipping process not an issue in seams etc with that method?


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[anlauto]

They actually have a neutralizer dip they put it in after the stripping process. YES it would be a great idea to do a dip into E-Coat or primer afterwards but there is nobody around here with tanks that big. The body shop tries their best to load on the epoxy the best they can on the underside in the nooks and cranny's .

I believe the cost for just a hood is around $160 plus tax CDN

[70 Challenger Lover]

They actually have a neutralizer dip they put it in after the stripping process. YES it would be a great idea to do a dip into E-Coat or primer afterwards but there is nobody around here with tanks that big. The body shop tries their best to load on the epoxy the best they can on the underside in the nooks and cranny's .

I believe the cost for just a hood is around $160 plus tax CDN

That seems reasonable. Sadly there is nothing like that around me and if there were, it would be much higher since Ca. Regulations are extreme.

I'm working on the underside now and it's going about as well as I can expect. Using a 4" disc sander in 80 grit for larger areas and a 1" sander on a air die grinder for smaller areas. I'm finding that here and there, there is light surface rust underneath it all which is probably why it eventually starting flaking off. Guessing they just shot paint over it all hoping for the best.

So my next question would be the best way to treat it. The sanders alone are getting at least 99% of it but if I can see an old stain, there must be a tiny amount remaining. I'm thinking an acid wash in those specific areas would neutralize it but is that enough before sealing it with a good epoxy? I can always use some "rust stop paint" over the acid wash to encapsulate any traces. I suppose I could also just keep sanding away until the stains are gone but I hate to remove any more metal than I have to.

[70 Challenger Lover]

Here's what I'm finding here and there. Particularly in the little creases and bends where it wasn't cleaned well. By the time I finish cleaning this area up, there will be a light rust stain but that tells me there is still something there even if it's only a little.

[1 Wild R/T]

Metal Prep.. AKA Ospho (Lowes)   http://www.ospho.com/directions.htm

[70 Challenger Lover]

Metal Prep.. AKA Ospho (Lowes)   http://www.ospho.com/directions.htm

Interesting. I'll give it a try. Supposed to hit 100 degrees today so once I tap out, I can clean up and take a nice air conditioned car to Lowe's!

[1 Wild R/T]

So the question is do you want paint advice? Or stripper advice?  Cause many of us have dealt with both.....

Their both nice to look at but it's best you don't touch either....

[70 Challenger Lover]

I wondered how long it would take for someone to go there! Looks like you win the prize

[1 Wild R/T]

I was trying to refrain but no one else took the initiative...

[fireguyfire]

They actually have a neutralizer dip they put it in after the stripping process. YES it would be a great idea to do a dip into E-Coat or primer afterwards but there is nobody around here with tanks that big. The body shop tries their best to load on the epoxy the best they can on the underside in the nooks and cranny's .

I believe the cost for just a hood is around $160 plus tax CDN

That's very reasonable; I'll have to see if there is a dipper in the Calgary area


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[70 Challenger Lover]

So I checked with the maker of my epoxy primer and they were adamant that I not put any kind of epoxy sealer/primer over acid prepped metal.

So what would be the quality solution then? I'm almost done stripping the paint by sander and given all this hard work, I want a lifetime solution that looks nice. It looks pretty nice and I see no evidence of warpage or other damage in my initial sandblasting attempt on the underside.

I'm thinking I have two options: the rust stains are light and only here and there so I can simply sand away until every trace of it is gone. Then I could seal away with no future worries. Option two would be to acid prep only the rust stains and then paint thin coats of  "rust stop" over the acid treated areas. The rust stop product can be sanded, sealed and painted over afterward.

[anlauto]

I would wash it really good with some hot soapy water and dry it off by blowing out all the nooks and crannies...

[1 Wild R/T]

Man, the paint companies change their requirements so often who knows how they want you to treat stuff these days....  Did you ask them how they want minor rust treated?   

FWIW I wonder if they are talking about full blown acid wash like is done on industrial/structural steel where they use muriatic acid to remove rust & scale or just something mild like metal etch...

Have you got any metal scraps laying around with some light rust that you could test on?  I typically apply the metal etch with a rag, rewetting as needed to keep the surface wet for a few minutes then I wipe it down with lacquer thinner... I know they say to allow the stuff to dry & it leaves a coating... I've never liked the coating, it's got a coarse/lumpy finish... I prefer to wipe down the raw bare steel... Then I scrub the area with baking soda & a brush & a second wipe down with lacquer thinner...

Once you see how clean & shiny the steel is after metal prep I think you'll agree it's the best way to eliminate any rust that could be hiding in what they refer to as "micro pitting"....

[70 Challenger Lover]

Your not kidding. I'm not a paint guy so I learn slow but they change stuff faster than I use up the products I'm buying. Yesterday I went to my local auto paint store to get more of the epoxy sealer they sold me 6-9 months earlier. They no longer carry it and only offer a 3 in 1 system that can be used in three different ways depending on how you mix it. Of course each one has different requirements on how long to wait before sanding, reshooting, color, etc. makes my head spin. Oh and it's more than twice the price as before!

I found the stuff I used last time on eBay of all places and ordered some. Afterward, I saw someone's post about the acid epoxy warning so I sent the company a message. I need to call them if I want a more detailed explanation but their short email reply was simply never use it over any acid prepped metal. Never was in caps so I got the message.

I think I'm gonna finish stripping it bare since I'm almost there and then go over each little rust stain with a tiny sander removing only enough metal to make it perfect again. It's probably less work in the long run!

I like your idea of testing a scrap. I have plenty of scrap and a new quart of metal prep. Couldn't find the Ospho stuff at Lowe's by the way. I still have fenders to do next and they have lots of surface rust on the underside. I'm going to need a better solution when I turn my attention to them. I can't help but wonder if acid prep first, followed by a good soap and water scrub would allow me to use the epoxy.